UP Assembly passes Rs 8,479 cr supplementary budget for FY22

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Friday passed the second supplementary budget of Rs 8,479.53 crore for the ongoing fiscal by voice vote.

The Opposition parties raised an objection regarding the supplementary budget, terming it as irrelevant.

The Assembly also approved a proposal for expenditure of Rs 1,68,903.23 crore through 'Vote on Account' for the first four months of the next financial year. The supplementary budget and Vote on Account were presented in the Assembly by state Finance Minister Suresh Khanna on Thursday.

Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary alleged that there was no justification of bringing the supplementary budget when 64 per cent of the previous one has not been utilised as yet.

The Yogi Adityanath government presented the second supplementary budget of Rs 8,479.53 crore and Vote on Account of Rs 1,68,903.23 crore for four months (April to July) of the financial year 2022-23 in the Assembly.

On Friday, both Houses -- Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council -- passed the supplementary budget for FY'22 and Vote on Account for the four months of the next fiscal.

Speaking on the occasion, Khanna said the biggest need of the general class is electricity and a provision of Rs 1,350 crore has been made for the supplementary budget as well as Rs 1,000 crore for 24-hour power supply.

Another Rs 100 crore has been earmarked in the Chief Minister's discretionary fund for the treatment of the poor and a provision of Rs 670 crore for old age and Rs 167 crore for Divyangjan pension, which has been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000, Khanna, who is also the parliamentary affairs minister, said.

Khanna said the government has made a provision of Rs 4,000 crore for the people involved in the unorganised sector. Food grains worth Rs 188 crore are being distributed among the people of rural areas every month, he said.

Rejecting the figures presented in the House by the Leader of Opposition to claim that there has been a rise in crime during the present government, Khanna refuted the charge saying the crime rate is lower compared to what it was under the Samajwadi Party-led government.

Referring to Ambedkar, Khanna said, "We built 'Panchtirth' (five important places associated with Ambedkar) and the government backed by BJP had awarded the title of Bharat Ratna to Ambedkar."

Responding to price rise of petrol and diesel, he cited the example of the Congress-led governments of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, where he said the prices are higher than rates in Uttar Pradesh and stressed "we have full sympathy and sensitivity towards those who are backward in the society by 'man, karm, vachan' (mind, deed and word) and the report of the Social Justice Committee will be implemented after considering all aspects."

During the discussion on the second supplementary budget, the Opposition parties criticised the government and termed the budget anti-people.

Taking a swipe at the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth's speech in the House that country wants Ram Rajya, Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary asked "where the dignity of daughters and sisters is not safe, where dacoity, murder, robbery and rape occur day and night, is this Ram Rajya?" and also presented statistics to back his claim of crime increasing in Uttar Pradesh.

Terming socialism as a "Bahurupiya brand" Yogi had claimed that this country neither wants communism nor socialism, but this country wants Ram Rajya.

"Don't defame the name of the Lord in politics, don't auction this country for momentary happiness," Chaudhary said targetting the Chief Minister.

He alleged that BJP has turned into a refuge of those indulging in dacoity and snatching and said that supplementary budget shows that there is no clear policy of the BJP government and without any concrete policy, public welfare is not possible.

Chowdhary rubbished the crime figures presented by Khanna and accused the BJP of lying. He alleged that during the COVID period, the state had turned into a crematorium and said that "the government did not spend 64 per cent of the last budget, so there is no justification for this one."

Bahujan Samaj Party leader Umashankar Singh opposed the supplementary budget and called it anti-people while demanding the installation of a portrait of Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar in the House.

Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra said that there is nothing for the middle class in this budget while the middle class has been affected the most.

Referring to the Corona period, she said even in the state capital people had died in the absence of treatment, yet the government is patting its back.

She also expressed surprise over the lack of action against Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence which left eight people, including four farmers, dead.